Multi-conductor flat electrical cables are used in a variety of applications, such as in computer, telecommunications and similar apparatus. The flat cables are connected to other cables, the electrical apparatus, printed circuit boards and the like by means of electrical connectors which are elongated transversely of the cables.
Such a connector conventionally includes an elongated dielectric body which mounts a plurality of terminals which have staggered rows of U-shaped contact elements spaced to correspond to the spacing of the cable conductors. Typically, the conductors are individually insulated and joined together by a solid dielectric plastic material, with the conductors in a flat, flexible unitary array, and with the surface of the cable being undulated to define closely spaced ribs running lengthwise of the cable.
Each contact element of each terminal of the connector typically is bifurcated to define parallel legs which pierce the cable insulation as an individual conductor is forced into a slot between the legs. A cover usually is used to force the conductors into the contact elements and maintain the conductors in the slots thereof. The ends of the terminals opposite the contact elements and the connector body have various shapes depending upon the application of the connector or the apparatus to which the cable is to be connected.
The connector is assembled to the cable by aligning the individual conductors with the individual contact elements of the terminals. The cover is forced into assembled position relative to the connector body in a press, such as a bench press, to force the conductors into the contact elements. In order to align the conductors with the contact elements and to align the connector, generally, with the cable, a fixture normally is used in the press.
Typically, such fixtures include a base having adjustable connector locating guides and adjustable cable guides mounted on the base, along with conductor positioning grooves in a top surface of the base for receiving the undulated surface of the cable. In essence, the grooves accommodate the conductors of the cable for final positioning and for holding the cable during termination. Heretofore, construction of this type of fixture has been done by machining a metal plate, along with other components of the fixture, which are expensive processes.
Another problem with aligning fixtures of the character described above involves the precision required to locate the connector transversely of the cable to ensure that the tiny contact elements are terminated to the proper cable conductors. A single connector may have many contact elements, and the conductors of the cable may have a spacing of 0.025 inches or less. If the connector is aligned by means located at one or the other end of the connector, the tolerance build-up along the length of the connector is considerable, which often results in misalignment the further the contact elements or conductors are away from the aligning means.
This invention is directed to solving these problems in an improved locating fixture system of the character described.